Santa Fe Stew

Here is one of my favorite recipes of all time! It’s so yummy, very filling, and really easy to make. This definitely falls into the category of comfort food in our house. But unlike a lot of comfort foods, this stuff is actually good for you! No matter how often I make it, we never get tired of it. It’s one of the first recipes I made up myself, many years ago. I made it a lot for a while, tweaking until I got the seasoning right where I like it. It has a bit of zip, although I wouldn’t consider it spicy. If you like your heat turned way down, you might try making it without the Salsa Jalapeña. If you don’t have any and do want some heat, you can increase the cayenne or substitute a fresh jalapeño or two. I cooked up a whole pound of dried black beans a while back and froze what I didn’t use that day. So for this meal, I just pulled some out of the freezer. You can use canned, but your nutrition information (especially sodium) will be different. You’ll find a printer-friendly version of the recipe at the bottom of this page.

A note about brown rice: The type you use will affect your cooking time. Most brown rice can take up to an hour to cook, at which point your chicken would be rubber and your beans and corn would be mush. I like to use Uncle Ben’s brown rice. It’s still whole grain but is processed differently and only takes 20 minutes to cook. You could, of course, use white rice, but this is a perfect dish for brown. The little bit of extra texture & flavor fits in perfectly. And if you’re new to brown rice, it’s a very pleasant introduction. (If you’re trying to introduce someone else to brown rice, there’s a good chance they won’t even notice!)

1.) Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken, being sure not to crowd the pieces. Brown on all sides without cooking through, then remove to a bowl and keep warm. Repeat with another 1 Tbsp oil and the rest of the chicken.

2.) While the chicken cooks, chop the onion and mince the garlic. Mix the dry seasonings (adobo through cayenne) in a small prep bowl, and set aside.

3.) Heat the last of the oil. Add the onion, and sauté until crisp/tender, adding garlic for the last 1-2 minutes.

4.) Add the dry seasonings and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the rice, then pour in the broth. Stir, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

5.) Add the Salsa Jalapeña and the can of tomatoes with all their juice, and stir. Sprinkle the black beans and chicken over all, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook 20 minutes, or until rice is done and nearly all the liquid is absorbed or evaporated.

6.) Stir in the corn, cover, and turn the heat down to low. Let stand just long enough to heat the corn, then serve.

Directions

1.) Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken, being sure not to crowd the pieces. Brown on all sides without cooking through, then remove to a bowl and keep warm. Repeat with another 1 Tbsp oil and the rest of the chicken.
2.) While the chicken cooks, chop the onion and mince the garlic. Mix the dry seasonings (adobo through cayenne) in a small prep bowl, and set aside.
3.) Heat the last of the oil. Add the onion, and sauté until crisp/tender, adding garlic for the last 1-2 minutes.
4.) Add the dry seasonings and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the rice, then pour in the broth. Stir, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
5.) Add the Salsa Jalapeña and the can of tomatoes with all their juice, and stir. Sprinkle the black beans and chicken over all, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook 20 minutes, or until rice is done and nearly all the liquid is absorbed or evaporated.
6.) Stir in the corn, cover, and turn the heat down to low. Let stand just long enough to heat the corn, then serve.